This thesis concerns the role of the Social Care Worker in interventions into unacceptable sexual behaviour in people who have a learning disability. It takes as point of departure ways in which support organisations and individual members of staff become aware that a service user’s sexual behaviour needs to be addressed. This raises issues about the service user’s human rights, confidentiality, and the concept of what it is to be ‘professional’ which can affect information sharing between support organisations and also between fellow support workers. In the case of the latter this relates to the workers status within the organisation, relations of power/knowledge which also has implications for the status of these workers as ‘professionals’. The thesis goes on to determine the support workers’ perceptions of what Bourdieu has termed, their ‘field’. That is to say, those behaviours they feel they can address without consulting health professionals. In addition to this, criteria used to decide when it is appropriate to consult health professionals is also described which thus demarcates their ‘field’ as perceived by the social care workers. The subsequent roles of the SCW whether working with or without input of health professionals is then discussed in terms of the individual worker’s ‘proximity’ or working relationship with the service user in question, and also their status within the support organisation. Findings suggest that some front-line workers who can claim closer ‘proximity’ to the service user may not have the same level of information about the behaviour as their managers who work off-site and do not have their direct care. Consideration is then given to accounts of situations in which input from health professionals is sought but is not forthcoming leaving SCWs and their organisations to deal with the behaviour in-house. Some of these such as sexual assault and rape are thus being treated in the community when otherwise the individuals concerned would be treated in locked NHS wards. Thus a new ‘field’ emerges requiring of the SCW a level of responsibility and skill that goes unacknowledged. The thesis ends by considering the feelings of workers involved in interventions into unacceptable sexual behaviour and concludes with recommendations on the education and support these workers require. Acknowledgement of the work they do and re-assessment of their status as workers is also recommended.

This study is going to focus on professional bias of pedagogical staff and social services workers in facilities with disadvantaged clients, particularly those with mental handicap. Such bias can limit work efforts of workers, and thus effect quality of life of disadvantaged clients. The research gathers and describes general knowledge of bias and its influence on men's life. The study mentions chosen professional bias of workers, documents it and compares degree of its influence on behaviour and approach to clients of both pedagogical staff and social services workers. The research attempts to search for connection between workers' biased behaviour and their education. Last of all, the study aims to search for suggestions and possible solutions of given situations that may be beneficial to quality of life of disadvantaged clients.

Introduction : Peu d'études se sont intéressées aux aides à domicile dans l'accompagnement de la vieillesse et moins encore, dans celui concernant les conduites d'alcoolisation à cet âge. Dans cette thèse s'inscrit dans une approche intégrative incluant une méthodologie quantitative et qualitative. Ainsi, nous étudions les aspects psychologiques de ces aides à domicile tout en les comparant à celles accompagnant la maladie d'Alzheimer.Méthode : 99 aides à domicile recrutées en milieu écologique ont répondu à un questionnaire de données professionnelles de 62 items, une échelle d'estime de soi (EES), un questionnaire de satisfaction de vie professionnelle (ESVP), un inventaire d'épuisement professionnel (MBI) et une échelle évaluant la symptomatologie anxio-dépressive (HADS). Les participantes ont été réparties en deux groupes : celles soulignant des difficultés dans l'accompagnement de la maladie d'Alzheimer (n=63) et celles évoquant des difficultés dans l'accompagnement de conduites d'alcoolisation (n=36). Parmi elles, 18 ont accepté de participer à un entretien de recherche enregistré et analysé à l'aide du logiciel QDA Miner 4.Résultats : Les résultats des dimensions psychologiques sont statistiquement significatifs lorsqu'ils sont associés aux caractéristiques professionnelles. Dans l'accompagnement des conduites d'alcoolisation, lorsqu'elles connaissent le diagnostic de la pathologie, l'épuisement émotionnel est plus élevé et celui-ci est corrélé positivement avec l'humeur dépressive et négativement avec la satisfaction de vie professionnelle. L'accomplissement personnel est corrélé négativement avec la symptomatologie dépressive. La satisfaction de vie professionnelle est corrélée positivement avec la relation de satisfaction avec l'entourage. Dans l'accompagnement de la maladie d'Alzheimer, quand elles ne connaissent pas le diagnostic de la pathologie de la personne âgée, leur épuisement émotionnel est plus élevé et celui-ci est corrélé négativement avec la satisfaction de vie professionnelle et positivement avec la symptomatologie anxio-dépressive.Pour les conduites d'alcoolisation, le discours relatant des difficultés avec la personne âgée a un lien de similarité avec les représentations de la maladie, la progression de la maladie, les relations avec les familles et le sentiment d'impuissance de l'aidante face à la pathologie de l'aidé. Le discours sur les satisfactions a un lien de similarité avec ceux évoquant l'expérience pour accompagner, les représentations et les compétences pour parler de la maladie avec les âgés. Concernant la maladie d'Alzheimer, le discours relatant des difficultés avec la personne âgée a un lien de similarité avec ceux évoquant les représentations et la progression de la maladie, ainsi que les identifications de l'aidante face au vieillissement de l'âgé. Le discours sur les satisfactions a un lien de similarité avec l'expérience pour accompagner et les raisons pour lesquelles elles exercent ce métier. Cette étude permet de mieux appréhender les spécificités psychologiques des aides à domicile française et ouvre ainsi, des perspectives de recherche. Des implications cliniques pourraient voir le jour dans la prévention des aspects psychologiques auprès de cette population. / In France, few studies were interested by care social workers in the accompaniment of old age and less still, in that concerning the alcohol misuse at this age. In this thesis, we study the psychological aspects of these professional all while comparing them with those to support the Alzheimer's disease. 99 social care workers answered a questionnaire of 62 professional data, a scale of self esteem (EES), a questionnaire of job satisfaction (ESVP), an inventory of burnout (MBI) and a scale of anxio-depressive symptomatology (HADS). The professionals were divided into two groups: those with the difficulties in the support of the disease of Alzheimer (n=63) and those with the difficulties with alcohol misuse (n=36). Moreover, 18 of whom were interviewed. In the support of alcohol misuse, significant results show that when they know the diagnosis of pathology, emotional exhaustion is higher and this one is correlated positively with depressive mood and negatively with the job satisfaction. The personal achievement is correlated negatively with depressive mood. The job satisfaction is correlated positively with relatives' relations. In the support of Alzheimer's disease, when they don't know the diagnosis of the pathology, emotional exhaustion is higher and this one is correlated negatively with the job satisfaction and positively with anxio-depressive symptomatology. For the alcohol misuse, the interview of difficulties with the elder is related to similarity with those showing the representations and progression of the disease, the family's relations and the feeling of ineffectiveness for supporting the pathology. The discussion of satisfactions is related to similarity with those evoking the professional experience, the representations and skills to speak with the person about the disease. For Alzheimer's disease, the discussion of difficulties with the elder is related to similarity with those evoking the representations and the progression of the disease ¿ and that ¿ with the identifications of the senior. The discussion of satisfactions is related to similarity with those talking the professional experience and the evocation of the personal reasons to work. This study allows considering the specificities of French social care workers. It opens some research perspectives and could have a clinical implication in prevention of this population.

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of employees in the social care sector regarding servant leadership. Eight employees were interviewed, and the interviews were transcribed. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the material was conducted. Four themes were identified: "Diverse functions of communication", "Clarity and expectations across professional roles", "Diverse pathways to development anchored in psychological safety",  and "Interpersonal relationships”. Each theme comprised two to four sub-themes. The employees perceived communication through dialogue as pivotal for a functional relationship with their manager. It served not only as a means to address and resolve issues but also as a tool for relationship-building. Furthermore, the employees discussed their differing expectations on the manager and of themselves. The aspect of trust-based leadership, where the manager is less controlling and provides greater autonomy, was experienced as both beneficial and stressful. The latter was interpreted as a consequence of unclear expectations, leading to performance anxiety. Limited financial resources were perceived as a barrier to development, although this was not attributed to the manager but rather seen as a consequence of political decisions made at higher levels of governance. Trust was perceived as fundamental for fostering a positive relationship between the manager and employees.